The fact that colour can dramatically influence our moods is generally confirmed by decorators and doctors alike. With the nights drawing in and days becoming darker, you may find dark clouds gathering inside your home, as well as out.
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a widely linked to the lack of sunlight during winter months, and while it’s important to seek medical help if your feelings become unmanageable, there are ways in which you can decorate with colour to encourage motivation and a sunny outlook.
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Colour Clever
Before you colour a new style for your home this winter, explore the effects that different hues are said to have upon the mood. It’s not necessary to give every room a complete facelift. Where decorating with a certain colour might seem a little disconcerting, try using accessories and plants, and remember that you can choose different shades of your chosen colour to complement existing decor within your home.
Red Alert
Red is associated with passion and intensity, therefore it can have the effect of raising blood pressure. However, accents of red will act as a spark for energy and vivacity, ideal in areas where you entertain. Red kitchens are said to boost appetite, meaning this colour is best avoided if you aim to lose weight!
Yellow Brick Road
While yellow can have a mixed effect on the emotions, it is generally perceived to be a happy colour. Emulating the colour of the sun and bringing to mind happy memories of far flung places, yellow is said to have a positive influence on productivity, boosting concentration.
Decorate with yellow in kitchens and bathrooms or hallways – wherever you seek to create a particularly invigorating or welcoming mood.
Think Pink
Soothing, restful pink can be the perfect antidote to stress and aggression. Associations with romance and love give pink a sensitive, tranquil feel, making it ideal for a bedroom, bathroom or anywhere you want to add a little romantic passion.
Evergreen
Another great choice for a bedroom, shades of green imitate the natural world and create a feeling of calm. Bringing the outside into your home is a fantastic way to work with green, particularly if you are not keen to decorate a green scheme. Plants and fresh flowers will give your mood an instant lift, helping to soothe worries away.
Orange Crush
Linked to both emotional and physical energy, orange is thought to have an encouraging effect on our immune and digestive systems, with self-confidence also improving under its influence. Being careful not to overpower existing decor, try muted shades, or work with brighter oranges in the form of accessories to combat a particularly low mood.
Purple Haze
Purple shades are often found in rooms where peace and calm rule. Emotionally comforting, purple is used in complementary colour care to treat illnesses of the nervous system, so try decorating with different purples in your bedroom to promote restful sleep and harmony.
True Blue
Blue could be considered the superfood of the colour palette. Keeping you focused yet calm, blue has been proven to combat high blood pressure, disturbed sleep and enhance thinking power. By bringing shades of blue into your bedroom or work area, you’ll be making a good first step towards tackling a winter low.
Whether or not you can pinpoint the cause of your own gloomy winter mood, experimenting with colour is one way to give yourself a lift. Creating a new style or colour scheme in your home is in itself a great way to a happier frame of mind. Feel those dark clouds disappear as you discover a hue to suit you.
